OVERVIEW OF ELECTION PROCESS Presented by Cathy Connolly

INTRODUCTION ROLE OF CITY/TOWN CLERK RESOURCES WORKING WITH COUNTY

JANUARY 31 Campaign finance reports due on January 31

MAY 2 Clerk must have ready for distribution:  Nomination paper, affidavit of qualification and campaign finance laws statement  Nomination petitions  Financial disclosure forms  Political committee statement of organization and $500 threshold exemption statement

MAY 13 [OPTIONAL] Primary/General Election:  First publication of call of election for weekly paper  2 times for a weekly paper MAY 17 [OPTIONAL] Primary/General Election:  First publication of call of election for daily paper  4 times for a daily paper

MAY 20 [OPTIONAL] Primary Election:  Second publication of call of election for a weekly paper  Fourth time for a daily paper

JUNE 1 Deadline for candidates to file:  Nomination paper, affidavit of qualification and campaign finance laws statement  Nomination petitions  Financial disclosure forms  Political committee statement of organization or $500 threshold exemption statement JUNE 30 Primary/General Election:  June 30 campaign finance report due

JULY 15 Primary Election:  Prepare and mail proof of sample ballot to candidates JULY 21 Primary/General Election:  Nomination papers from write-in candidates due JULY 29 Primary Election:  Post notice sample ballots available

AUGUST 1 Primary Election:  County voter registration closes AUGUST 19 Primary Election:  Publish city or town financial statement (Time frame for figures)

AUGUST 26 Primary Election:  Pre-primary campaign finance report due AUGUST 30 Primary Election Day  Calculation of who wins at primary  Separate calculation for mayor if directly elected  Existing ordinances  Charter cities  Districts

AUGUST 30 (Cont’d ) By way of example 7 candidates are running for 3 council seats and their vote totals are as follows:  John Smith 100  Mary Smith 90  John Doe 90  Mary Doe 70  John Jones 50  Mary Jones 40  Qualified write-in 5  TOTAL is then divided by three, the number of seats to be filled, which comes to and that result is then divided by two and rounded up to a whole number which means that a candidate receiving 75 or more votes would win at the primary. So John Smith, Mary Smith and John Doe would fill the 3 seats. If more candidates than there are offices to be filled had received 75 votes or more, then the top three would be declared winners.

SEPTEMBER 23 General Election:  Mail proof of sample ballot to candidates SEPTEMBER 29 General Election:  Nomination papers from write-in candidates due Primary Election:  Post-primary campaign finance report due SEPTEMBER 19 Primary Election:  Council meets to canvass vote

OCTOBER 10 General Election:  County voter registration closes OCTOBER 7 General Election:  Post notice sample ballots available NOVEMBER 4 General Election:  Pre-general campaign finance report due

NOVEMBER 28 General Election:  Council meets to canvass vote DECEMBER 8 General Election:  Post-general campaign finance report due NOVEMBER 8 General Election Day!

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 Primary/General:  $500 threshold termination statement due

CALCULATING NOMINATION PETITION SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT FOR CITIES WITH DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR For Mayor and Council elected at large At least 5% and not more than 10% of total vote cast in the City for MAYOR in the last preceding election For Council district elections At least 5% and not more than 10% of total vote cast in the District for MAYOR in the last preceding election Add the votes cast for the candidates for the office of mayor including qualified write-ins at the last election and calculate percentage. If mayor was not elected at last preceding election, use next calculation.

CALCULATING NOMINATION PETITION SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT (CONT.) FOR CITIES W/OUT A DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR At least 5% and not more than 10% of vote cast in the City for the COUNCILMEMBER receiving the highest vote at the last preceding election. FOR TOWNS At least 5% and not more than 10% of vote cast in the Town for the COUNCILMEMBER receiving the highest vote at the last preceding election. LOCAL ORDINANCE OPTION

CALCULATION OF SIGNATURES FOR INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL PETITIONS INITIATIVES AND REFERENDUMS Total number of VALID BALLOTS CAST at the last city or town election where a mayor or at large councilmember was elected For initiatives, 15%; for referendum, 10% Can pass local ordinance to use something other than valid ballots as the basis for the calculation for initiatives only

CALCULATION OF SIGNATURES FOR INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL PETITIONS (CONT.) RECALL PETITIONS FOR MAYOR OR DISTRICT COUNCILMEMBER Add actual votes cast for all candidates including qualified write-ins for the office at the last general election and multiply by 25% FOR AT LARGE COUNCILMEMBER Add actual votes cast for all council candidates including qualified write-ins at the last general election. Divide by the number of offices filled at that election and then multiply the result by 25%.

QUESTIONS